I've been a member here now for a few months (and a climber for 20 years) and so feel like I am now familiar enough with my home gym to fairly review it. My favorite things about this gym: - Creative setting in the shorter walled section so you feel more comfortable trying new moves without the fear of falling too far - The layout with open sweeping views and plenty of light - The arch - tons of cool practice with overhangs and traverses - Bike parking inside! - Big area with mats upstairs to do warm-up and warm-down stretches Areas this gym could improve: - Cleaner holds! Not just Uptown - all of the locations. They're so greasy that it automatically adds a grade to any problem, and not in a fun way. - For lower-rated climbs, setting routes that aren't just jug ladders. It is possible to make beginner climbs fun and challenging in a puzzly way, but Uptown doesn't do that. It's all jugs. - More community events, and the community events that exist should be free to members. If I'm a member I shouldn't also be paying to go to sound baths or take fitness classes and participate in citizens' competitions. I've never been a member of a gym that charges its members for ANY events. There are free events at FA, but they're essentially just meetups. Anything with more to offer carries a charge. read more

Increasingly unsafe. Kids under 8 running around the weight room. People parking infants under squat racks in their stroller no joke. Idk how they have a good insurance policy. read more

Very neat experience! Was our first time bouldering and the staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. It was nice they have shoe rentals and chalk available for newbies. Would definitely come again! read more

First Ascent Uptown - Yoga Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Oh man, I do love me some bouldering. I was lucky enough to be invited to check out First Ascent via a guest pass from a friend. I have always walked past the gym and I always admired the climbing wall that you can see from the street level. So naturally I was pumped for my chance at bouldering. I had my own climbing shoes so I was able to save a little money by not having to rent shoes and plus they had free lockers to store your personal belongings. The staff was pretty chill and friendly during our interaction with them. They were informative when it came to educating us on the various membership levels and prices. The actual wall section of the gym was a nice size. It was a little crowded due to us going late at night but there was still enough wall for everyone to climb safely. You could easily tell who were the more experienced climbers and who were the beginners. I have always loved the culture of the climbing community. Throughout my visit I got to witness someone always being willing to assist a beginner or cheer on a random stranger. read more

If you want to learn to climb, or are already a climber, FIrst Ascent is a no-brainer! My son and I took at beginner class ("Learning to Boulder") and it was the best $29 I've ever spent. We got supportive, knowledgeable, and no-pressure instruction from Chad. He was fantastic. In the course of one hour we went from "I can't do this!" to "Holy crap, I just did this!". There is clearly a community of climbers here. They are all friendly and helpful and eager to help if you ask for it. Otherwise it's just a wonderful place to workout and learn. Couldn't recommend it more! read more

Excuse me while I sing praises for First Ascent. My climbing life began when First Ascent opened, four years ago, and I could not imagine a better vehicle to take me on my journey. My membership includes unlimited climbing, unlimited gym use, and unlimited yoga classes. I also pay (a little) extra to attend a group fitness class (cross-training) 10x/month, which has made me stronger than I have ever been in my entire life. I don't think I will ever be able to enjoy a standard fitness gym again. I am challenged both mentally and physically at FA. During the day I find myself thinking about the problems (routes) I am working on, and looking forward to trying them again soon. If I ever leave Chicago, this gym will be one of the biggest losses, even more than some friends.. :) read more

New, modern bouldering only gym. I only visited once, but it seems like everything is reset pretty often- there is a map and sign showing you when your favorite wall will get some new problems. I personally liked the area with the shorter walls- more interesting moves and challenging transitions. The taller walls (the ship) are more straightforward it seemed. The only complaint I had was that it gets HOT up there! Not sure if they can turn the AC on full blast or what, it otherwise solid gym. read more

First ascent is the best place to climb especially if you become a member. They have a daytime membership where you pay $35 per month and you can enter any time before 3pm on weekdays. This is an absolute steal if you can make these times! Membership includes both uptown and Avondale locations (no rope climbing at uptown). All other times you pay $9 to get in. On to the location: conveniently located next to the Lawrence red line station, Uptown is a boulder-er's dream come true. Walls and walls of routes that change super often, bare clean spaces, lots of fun to be had. The only downside here is that the wifi doesn't work. They should really get that fixed.... read more

I can't believe I didn't discover this place sooner. The facility is undergoing renovations downstairs, but the upstairs is a bouldering paradise with a yoga studio. For about $25 (excluding shoe cost and harness cost) you can spend the day here, taking as many fitness classes as you want and dabbling in some climbing. I had never bouldered before, so it was tough on my hands yet still extremely fun and challenging. The yoga class was a semi-full Level 2, and I would definitely go again (the instructor took us through a nice flow with good transitions). If only this location had what the Avondale location has, which is a full harness/rope climbing area. Did I mention if you get the day pass you can bounce between the locations?!...We had a great Saturday here and got to explore the Avondale location as well. Go and enjoy trying something new! read more

A great place to come boulder for people of all skill levels. Definitely would be a little hard for true beginners but with the sheer number of problems here, there'll be something for virtually everyone to climb. There's a wide variety of problems and wall types here, which make for a great way to practice all types of climbing. The setting is of great quality and the routes change frequent enough. Along with the bouldering walls, there's a fully equiped gym and yoga studio that offers classes very frequently. It's location is great as it's right off the red line and near some great Vietnamese food! A membership here would allow you enter all the first ascent gyms in Chicago and would allow you to climb at a few places at your leisure. Definitely a place to check out if you're interested in bouldering! read more

I've gone here a few times and it was a nice experience. My major problem is their pricing. They charge $75 a month if you auto-bill, but if you want to just get a one month pre-paid membership, it goes all the way up to $125. I know that a one shot membership should be more expensive, but that is a huge difference. Another complaint is that shoe rental is not included in the monthly membership fee. And shoe rental is expensive at $6. That really adds up quickly. Sure, I could buy my own shoes, but if I want to go climbing before or after work, I need to carry them with me all the time. Climbing shoes are not like running shoes or cross training shoes, and you can't walk around the streets on them, so it's a major inconvenience to have to carry your own around. If they can't include the shoes in the monthly membership, they should have the option of getting unlimited shoes rentals for a month for like $10. When I raised this concern to management, they said I could just wear sneakers. My take on this is that NOBODY should be allow to climb in their street shoes. Do you really want some sneaker that has stepped in dog poo stepping all over the hand holds? And these hand holds have a porous surface that's hard to clean. It's nasty to think that people are using their street shoes to step onto porous surfaces that people touch with their hands. Overall, I find the shoe policy at this place to be both greedy and unsanitary. I think its a cool space and a fun activity, but I'll pass on it. read more

First Ascent is very clean and well organized making it a friendly and fun experience for people of all different skill levels. If you have little experience bouldering, First Ascent makes the learning process simple and easy to follow. All of their routes are color-coordinated! Compared to other climbing gyms I have been to, First Ascent is by far the most organized (other gyms had a smattering of different colored tapes which caused a lot of confusion). The routes at First Ascent are definitely a bit more difficult than similarly-rated routes in other gyms--I completed several V0s after several labored attempts. Nevertheless, all of the routes were extremely fun and creative. I paid $15 for a student day pass + $6 for shoe rentals. It's not exactly super cheap but there were also other amenities in addition to the bouldering walls that I did not explore such as the gym (complete with treadmills and weights) and yoga classes. I will definitely be back for more bouldering and perhaps I will try to utilize the other equipment as well! read more

O M goodness! First Assent is the best way to get out energy! The employees are so nice and are always so friendly! I've been going here for a while...and will continue to! read more

this is an awesome bouldering facility! i've never seen so many bouldering routes in one gym before. decided to come here in the middle of the week recently because it's so much easier to get to without a car than the avondale location. this uptown location is literally right off the wilson L stop whereas you pretty much cannot get to avondale by public transportation unless you want to waste 2 hours doing it (from north shore area). so if you know me, you know i prefer top roping over bouldering. something about fear of heights and fear of falling off the wall that makes bouldering leaps and bounds more intimidating for me than climbing 60 feet up a wall while tied in to a rope. which means i probably won't be back. not because it isn't a great gym, but it just really doesn't cater to my likes. however if bouldering is your thing, this is probably one of the best bouldering gyms you'll find around! there's plenty of easier routes for beginners but also TONS of challenging routes and great wall features to use - think i saw up to v9's while i was there! read more

Worth the price if you're going to use everything they have to offer. I'm not a climber but will be using it as a workout the more I get the hang of it. Been taking advantage of the yoga classes, which are great especially for a noob like me, and the gym. All new equipment and the staff is friendly. Only problem I have, besides the few pieces of workout equipment I wish they had, is members not wearing close-toed shoes in the weight area. I can't believe I see people every single day either barefoot or just wearing socks. This is asking for an accident and it's even written in the rules. read more

First Ascent rocks, but this is probably my least favorite location. It's grimier than the others and the ratings on problems don't seem to be at all consistent. To be fair, my preferred location is Block 37, which is less than a year old, so I may just be unfairly comparing that location's shiny newness to one that has simply existed longer. They did just remodel the downstairs to expand their weight training and cardio area, which looks beautiful. I'm upping my original 3 stars to 4 for the new area and in recognition of my perhaps biased original take. I am still hating on the ratings though. There have been V0s at Uptown that I struggled on when at Block 37 my struggles are with V3s and the occasional V2. Sometimes a V4 if I'm feeling ballsy. Maybe it is just me, but I expect V0s to be a small step above a VB, so definitely shouldn't be failing to complete one on a first try. I'm certainly no expert, but V0s aren't meant for people with great skill, so I think my beef is legit. Friends of mine who consistently climb 5s come to Uptown and struggle on 2s. What's going on, guys? read more

I am a member at first ascent which gives me access to all the gyms in the greater chicago-land area. I've only been to this location 3 times, but I really enjoy the variety of problems that they have and the frequency with which they reset their problems. The walls here seem to have significantly more geometry than the block 37 location as there are more walls with steeper and more aggressive overhangs as well as more variety within a single route. I find myself having to be a more technical climber to accomplish the same difficulty of problem in this location. My only complaint would be that some of the problems are very short as the ceiling interferes with having full sized walls in about half the gym, but this does give an opportunity for some problems where the goal is to move sideways vice just up the wall. Overall a great visit and one I highly recommend. read more

Woot! Pretty great bouldering space with very fun, varied boulder problems. Place comes with a weight/fitness space, a yoga room, and plenty of events and activities throughout the week/month. read more

Cool vibe! Did the Groupon for the bouldering class, which was useful but you didn't need to take notes or anything. Instructors gave some basic tips and then would actually watch you do it and offer suggestions to improve your form. Instructors were friendly and even a little fun! Came back for second day-pass which they said was expired, but let us climb anyway! This pervasive cool vibe would defintely make me come back read more

First ascent's proximity to my apt literally keeps me from moving! FYI there is no climbing, only bouldering at this location but there's plenty to keep you coming back. Plus the routes/problems are updated frequently so you won't get bored. I. Addition, there is a solid gym and the yoga classes are especially good - with fantastic instructors and innovative classes like a half hour inversion practice (which could be offered at night too, ahem). Also, everyone here is laid back, friendly, and nonjudgmental so anyone is welcome to come and climb, regardless of skill level or how tight your rolled up jeans are! read more

This is a great gym - it's full of friendly, helpful people. There's a good variety of routes for various skill levels. They seem to skew a little more difficult than some other gyms, but they change at a good pace. read more

Good place for climbing. They have yoga studio and small gym. A lot of space for indoor climbing.

The staff are very helpful at teaching you the sport and provide a great environment to challenge yourself. Definitely going back!

Awesome bouldering gym, great community, great staff, they always have fun events and local competitions which is pretty cool. Also love that one membership gets you access to all three locations, yoga classes, and the ability to bring first-timers in for free (great for getting all your friends hooked on climbing as well!!!) Minor gripes: the bathroom could use some work (I think one stall has had a "out of service" sign for, like, months at this point, and some of the other ones can be a bit sketch); the selection at the shop is not great, especially for women / those with smaller feet; I've gotten mixed messages from employees regarding ordering shoes (I'm pretty sure they will order for you but I ended up just going to REI since people kept telling me different things...) Really, really minor gripe: the sinks at uptown are automatic while the soap dispensers are manual. The sinks at avondale are manual and the soap dispensers are automatic. This messes with my brain. :P read more

Climb here regularly and the staff and climbers are great fun and freindly. The space is clean, varied and challenging with lots of routes and regular changes made to keep things interesting. My favourite parts are the overhangs and the cave which are great compared to other bouldering gyms I have been to in the past. read more

This is a great gym. I love climbing and it has been great to find a place to do that in the city. First Ascent is accomplishing what they set out to do! read more

Love First Ascent Uptown. Walltopia walls (just like in Avondale) but this is bouldering only. Smaller gym space than Avondale but I don't use the gym, so that doesn't really matter to me. Everyone at FAU are super chill and friendly. People are encouraging and will offer beta if they see you struggling. My only complaint is that parking is paid metered and not always available nearby. read more

I've been a member for over a year and have not yet gotten into bouldering / climbing...but the yoga classes here are great (and are the primary reason I've maintained my membership at this point). All instructors I've had here are good; Laura B and Amanda M are exceptional. Great pacing. Great modifications. Great incorporation of mindfulness during practice. Laura B's style in particular has been transformative (mind and body) for me. Love. Very highly recommend. read more

Super fun! Intro to bouldering class was great for someone who's never done bouldering before. Friendly people and good vibes.

First Ascent Uptown is located right across from the Red Line Lawrence Stop for an easy convenient commute! The climbing gym use to be the old Borders Book store and they kept the windows the same which gives great panoramic views of Chicago. The height of the walls are sitting at about 15-16 feet with all kinds of fun and different angles keeping you on your toes. In bouldering, this translates to very fun yet tough moves out of the gate because they sequence unique lines, some traverse movements to extend the length of the problem beyond 15-16 feet and body movements all within the frame of the problem. They definitely set the standard for any climbing gym that has walls of similar height. Don't be intimidated as they have easy/intermediate problems as well for beginners on all of their walls. They also have yoga, weights, digital lockers and cubbies for storing your items. As a member, they allow you take a guest to the gym for free each month and it rolls over to the following month, if you do not use it. This is great for the climber that is looking for an awesome date or if you want to share your passion with others! Day passes are priced fair for the one time thrill seeker and even better as a member! If you are still on the fence, you can always get a 10 day punch pass. read more

Solid place... short climbs but lots of surface area overall. Not a lot of vertical (as opposed to overhang) stuff for beginners and the parts that were lower level (i.e. less than V3) were in this REALLY stuffy, tiny area that didn't have AC flowing very well. That's my only complaint. The rest was well ventilated, well lit, well padded, spacious, and well set. read more

I love this place. I only started climbing 6 months ago, so I can't speak to their selection of advanced routes. But as someone who worked their way from V0 to V4 here, there has always been fun and challenging routes. I go to one of First Ascent's locations every other day, and have yet to get bored. After dipping my toe in for a month with day passes, I started getting the membership and haven't regretted it. I've been to one other climbing gym in Chicago, but for me this one has a better selection and a way better price. And the people working here have always been considerate and friendly in my experience. read more

I've been to this place several times and even though is a little out of my way, I like to make the trip because I know I can always find fun and challenging problems to climb, since they put up new problems every Tuesday! I love the multiple over hanging areas, and the fact that this is the largest bouldering gym in Chicago. read more

Great gym and staff. Everyone is very friendly and happy to help or answer questions. Yoga classes are also top notch with quality teachers that teach a variety of different classes. All comments also apply to avondale. Highly recommend both gyms, best climbing gyms in Chicago. read more